Lured with a Hindu Name, Trafficked to Saudi, Gangraped for Refusing Conversion: A Survivor Speaks Out (Image Source: Photo: Generative AI)
Jalaluddin alias Changur Baba, who was running a religious conversion racket from Uttar Pradesh, was recently arrested. Since then, each day has brought forth a darker, more horrifying chapter. Changur, who brainwashed and converted thousands of families, had a primary target—young women. A whole network was involved in luring them and forcing them to abandon their religion.
One such survivor, Rashmi, spoke to aajtak.in over the phone. A resident of Karnataka, she has endured betrayal in the name of love, captivity, gang rape, and physical abuse over the past few years.
It was late 2019 when my elder brother passed away. He was the only family I had. After he was gone, I felt utterly alone. Around that time, an Instagram ID under the name 'Raju Rathore' began messaging me. I ignored it at first. Later, a woman claiming to be Raju’s sister-in-law reached out and encouraged me to speak with him.
Eventually, we exchanged phone numbers. He claimed to be a Rajput. There was no reason to suspect anything. His display pictures often showed images of Hindu gods. With time, he proposed marriage. His so-called sister-in-law told me, "You don’t have a family. If you marry, we will become your family." They had figured out my emotional vulnerability and exploited it. They repeated this often.
Raju lived in Saudi Arabia. I was told he wouldn’t return for some time and was advised to explore another country in the meantime — possibly get a job there. A family and a livelihood — it all seemed ideal. I agreed. Soon, a fake Aadhaar card and a passport with a false name arrived at my address. The documents had my photo.
Suspicious of what and of whom? I’d never been abroad and had no friends to guide me. I was alone with just my phone. I followed whatever they told me. I had my own house in Karnataka, built with my brother. I sold it. I was a professional beautician and sold my thriving salon. I believed in this new life. When Raju would call, I’d see the Saudi skyline behind him — tall buildings and clean roads. I’d even look up Saudi women’s makeup styles to prepare myself.
Any lingering doubts disappeared when I arrived in Delhi. There, I met Raju’s father and his so-called sister-in-law. They came to drop me at the airport, along with another man who accompanied me to Jeddah. He taught me the basics of flying. That girl, who had only ever known one brother, now felt the warmth of a family. In six hours, I began dreaming of a new life.
I met Raju for the first time at the airport. He looked and acted completely Hindu — mentioning gods while speaking. Anyone could’ve been deceived. As soon as we got in the car, he made a call and said, “The package has arrived.” In the following days, he repeatedly referred to me and other girls as “packages” — Indian girls being brought to Saudi Arabia.
I don’t recall the exact place, maybe something like Al-Badeeh. Raju had rented a two-room apartment. He immediately called some people, applied sindoor (vermillion) on my forehead, and put a mangalsutra around my neck. Everything was happening so fast — I thought we were starting a family.
Hours later, I heard him call someone and say, “Rashmi has arrived and is ready for conversion.” I panicked. I began questioning him. “Whose religion are you talking about? Aren’t we both Hindu?” That’s when I discovered Raju Rathore was actually Wasim, and he wanted to turn me into Ayesha.
Within hours of arriving in Saudi, my world had collapsed. A girl from a Brahmin family was caught in a trap abroad. When I resisted, Wasim began beating me. When he got tired of beating, he would assault me sexually. This went on for three days and nights. He locked the room when he left and had taken my phone. Even if I had it, who could I call?
Three days later, a man named Badr Akhtar Siddiqui arrived — a disciple of Changur who managed the operation in Saudi. Initially, he spoke kindly, claiming idolatry was futile and only Islam was the true path. He told me I’d be safer as a Muslim.
I questioned him too — “You call this safety, after luring and trapping me like this?”
He became angry and argued with Wasim. I overheard them — Wasim had been paid ₹15 lakh to bring me there. The rate varied by caste.
After Siddiqui left, Wasim tried another tactic. He filmed himself raping me and threatened to make it viral if I didn’t convert. Months passed under this fear. My tourist visa expired, and finally, Wasim sent me back to Karnataka — but kept the video as leverage. I rented a small place in the same city where I once owned a house and a business. Every time someone looked at me, I feared my video had leaked.
Wasim and his family kept calling me — dozens of times daily. Even when I worked as a salon assistant, they would call. I changed jobs multiple times. Eventually, money demands started coming from Saharanpur — deaths, illnesses, parties. I sent money to people in Uttar Pradesh — a place I’d never even visited.
They Kept Me Captive and Gangraped Me
Two and a half years passed. I considered dying thousands of times but stopped — what if the video got out after my death? Finally, I went to the Karnataka police. They called the numbers I gave. Soon after, I received a threat: “Be in Saharanpur within three days.” In May 2024, I reached Saharanpur. The woman I had called “sister-in-law” all along turned out to be Wasim’s wife. The entire family — grandmother, aunts, uncles, neighbors — was there. They held me captive for a month and constantly pressured me to convert.
I told them I’m a Brahmin girl, I know Hanuman Chalisa. I even offered to teach it to them. That’s when the beatings started — in front of the whole village.
Police Were Also Involved
I tried to complain several times. Each time, the police either ignored me or took me back to Wasim’s house. The officers said nothing. After all, ₹15 lakh had been paid to Changur Baba to convert me. In December last year, they served beef to me. When I refused to even touch it, they beat me with belts, kicked me, hurled abuses, and left.
They Gangraped Me Again
Next day, while I was out getting supplies for my salon, 12–14 men dragged me into a vehicle. They gagged me, tied my limbs, and gangraped me. One was Wasim’s “uncle,” others were friends and relatives.They recorded the video. They burned me with cigarettes, beat me with belts, bricks, knives — anything they could find. As they assaulted me, they hurled slurs at my religion.
They Took Me to Changur Baba’s Den
They took me to Changur’s hideout — fearing his reaction since they hadn’t succeeded in converting me even after years. Seeing my injuries, Changur said, “Why did you hit her on the face? Who will buy her now?” He instructed them to get me treated and gave me a taweez (amulet) for “spiritual healing. I was admitted to a hospital under false identity. After release, I was back in captivity. Every bone in my body ached. My entire body was covered in wounds. Even walking required crawling. Eventually, I escaped again and reached the court. There, I met a social group and Gopal Rai, President of the Vishwa Hindu Raksha Parishad. That’s when things began to change.
My Life Now: Still in Fear
On June 3rd, my purification ceremony was performed in Gomtinagar, Lucknow. Fifteen other families were there — all victims of Changur’s atrocities. Changur was arrested in July, but his men still lurk around. I’ve been given a room in that Saharanpur house — no toilet, no kitchen. The family has gone underground. The electricity was cut off right after his arrest. I live there — in heat, darkness, and fear. To survive, I do salon work door-to-door. But every time I go to the city, my rapists stalk me. Some make lewd gestures, others blow smoke in my face. Threats come daily from different numbers. I don’t know when I’ll be murdered, or raped again. I was an orphan. The dream of a family is what left me completely alone.
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